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lunes, 21 de diciembre de 2009

Limited tour-only self-released CD-R from the duo of Chris Corsano on drums and melodica and Mick Flower (Vibracathedral Orchestra) on Japan banjo. This one beats both of their ‘official’ LPs in terms of dynamism and psychedelic excess, with the opening track the greatest recorded document of the group’s ferocious live form. Drawn from live recordings in Switzerland and Cambridge, the method of attack varies across the five tracks, running from slow single note chorales with Corsano stampeding underneath through glorious fire music-inspired ascensions that just keep on peaking. It’s hard to create any kind of dynamic when you’re working with an instrument that has a constant drone sound but here Flower and Corsano explode the limitations by playing with a single voice, to the point where any notion of interaction is exploded in favour of a profound simultaneity. Easily the best thing these two have recorded together, every time we spin this in the shop someone has to have it.

miércoles, 9 de diciembre de 2009

"Pathless" is a brand new, limited edition self release by Ekca Liena. It comes in some fantastic packaging, each one individually made with a unique photograph and ink splatters with an ace screen printed disc of psychedelic colours and swirls. Musically, it's hard to believe that this collection of tracks is stuff that never had a proper home; as it is some of Ekca's finest work I've heard so far. The disc begins with wind chimes and piano, building a slow tension as all the sounds dance around your brain in a dark manner. The next track, entitled "Cloud Movements", starts off equally sinister before a sustained string sound builds into a layered choral sound. By now, the tone of the piece has changed and an light airiness takes over which is fantastically uplifting. "Fading Youth" and "Fading Youth 2" are, for me, the highlights of the album. Reversed pianos and voice samples play over smokey synths and haze. As is with most of Ekca's work, the tracks are so detailed; although on paper drone pieces, there is just so much going on within the tracks. The combination of the pianos and the voice samples, which have been brilliantly processed, is just staggering. The final part of "Fading Youth 2" is beyond belief, giving you an overwhelming sense of nostalgia, pain and regret. It is without a doubt, Ekca's finest track to date. The disc is bought to a close with "Lonely Nights End", a stark and bleak track with desperate acoustic guitar plucking over dense droning.

This is a nice review from Forest Gospel. Following up his debut outing last year along with a collaborative release with Jasper Tx earlier this year, Anduin (AKA Jonathan Lee) sounds like he’s has finally achieved something really incredible with Abandoned in Sleep. That’s not to say that his previous output wasn’t good. Anduin seems to be defined at this point by impressive textures and colossal drones. Yet, it has only been with this newest release that I have really been taken aback by and become truly engaged with his work. In terms of 2009 releases, Abandoned in Sleep is most similar to Ben Frost’s By The Throat. On his sophomore release, Anduin has achieved a similar minimalist danger and psychological tension to that of Frost. What is possibly more importantly of note here is, despite the album’s similarities, Abandoned in Sleep's ability to stand so closely and competitively with Frost’s work without losing any of its individual edge or primal energy. The message here is this: if you enjoyed By The Throat in any measure, you’re going to love Abandoned in Sleep. There is a magnificent claustrophobia present on the album that feels muted and heavy, encroaching steadily on the space left in your mind. Heady stuff for headphones and speakers alike, though I would most encouragingly recommend an isolated listen with the nicest set of headphones that you can get your hands on; the textures Anduin has created reward sophisticated headgear. I think that the generous improvement Anduin has made in terms of this record and his last is the diversity and mobility of his compositions. His debut set a standard for textures, but remained relatively stagnant after achieving said textures. On Abandoned in Sleep you can tell that Anduin has taken efforts to make his sounds live and breathe. There is a heart pumping within this record, slowly and assuredly, masking the intents of the beast it supports and its intent on devouring its listener whole. To the extent that being devoured by music can be enjoyable, Abandoned in Sleep is exceptionally gratifying.